From memory, it seems to me that the manual only recommends the position of a possible feeder.

The feeder has to be on top of the engine and the filler port for the water reservoir has to be at the highest point, which is where we see it in the photos.

I think you're absolutely right. The E2b engine was fitted on a very large number of aircraft, so it seems logical that each manufacturer had to adapt its accessories.

The Grand Raid PL8 undoubtedly needed an additional water supply, which required some adaptation by the Levasseur workshops. And you're right that this builder was more of a craftsman than an assembly-line manufacturer. That's why it's so difficult to obtain standard data for this aircraft builder. For an example, you may have read my topic on the PL8's alferium propeller...

From memory, it seems to me that the manual only recommends the position of a possible feeder.

That fits to me. Il will tranlate only the pages that refer to the cooling system and apparatus. I recall that there was a reference to a water feeding item somewhere but from my remembrance, it was quite brief... 

Yeah, my impression is that the shape and dimensions of the water reservoir or "nurse tank" was left up to the manufacturer of the particular aircraft that would use the engine. The PL-8 was purpose-built to be a very long-range aircraft so the amount of all the consumables required  (gasoline, oil and water) would be much greater than for other types.

That fits to me. Il will tranlate only the pages that refer to the cooling system and apparatus. I recall that there was a reference to a water feeding item somewhere but from my remembrance, it was quite brief... 

I can translate it for you, of course, and with pleasure. It will take me quite some time though.

I'll do it as I go along, if that's okay for you ? 

That's a lot of work.  I'm not sure we need the whole thing, but I would be interested to know what it says about the cooling system, especially if there is reference to a "nurse tank".

Good evening Ric. Wilco. I can translate it for you, of course, and with pleasure. It will take me quite some time though.

I'll do it as I go along, if that's okay for you ? 

Renaud, we received the pdfs of manuals for the Lorraine Dietrich 12eb engine.  Thank you.
Incredibly, they are printed in handwritten cursive (in French, naturellement).  Impossible to copy-paste into Google-translate.

That is one big and nasty looking piece of metal to be sitting behind! Those pilots of that era had a lot of courage!

Some more,

There seems to be no fixed, perfectly defined composition of Alférium.

This article, dated (coincidentally enough) May 1927, gives the latest state of knowledge on this alloy.

As far as we know, after 1923, Alférium's composition stabilized at around 4% copper, making it similar to duralumin, except that zinc (between 2 and 8%!) was added to help the part to withstand shocks, cracks and fissures.

Traces of silicon are mentioned, but no manganese.

The metal acquires its properties after reheating to 480-500°C, followed by quenching. Of particular interest is its resistance to water and even seawater (probably due to the presence of zinc). It is virtually unaffected by acids, but cannot withstand sodium hydroxide or potash.

In humid environments, it corrodes on contact with steel parts.

Here are two photographs. The first shows the size of L'Oiseau Blanc's unique two-bladed Alferium propeller. The second is a close-up of the PL8 version 2 propeller, powered by a 600 hp Hispano-Suiza 12LbR.

The two propellers weighed over than 120 Kgs and were probably virtually identical, except perhaps for their length.

Surprisingly, sources differ on this point. In the case of the Oiseau Blanc, the reported lengths vary from 3.80 to 3.95M.

As the Hispano is substantially more powerful, it's possible that the extended size of 3.95M applies only to the PL8 version 2.

Such a substantial mass of metal, less likely to disappear than steel, could therefore be one of the targets of future research in Gull Pond.

Of course, the plane's propeller was undoubtedly the element most likely to suffer in the event of a crash. I'm not talking about the fire, which could very well have destroyed the whole thing if it had been sufficiently severe.